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THE  LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

tMHV£R$lfV  ftf  ILUIWS 


FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY, 

WORCESTER,  MASS. 


I 


SPECIAL  REPORT 


OF  THE 


REE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


OF  THE 


CITY  OF  WORCESTER, 


Prepared  for  use  at  the  International  Exhibition  of  1876. 


THE  iJfeftAKY  OF  THE 

APR  9 1942 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

WORCESTER,  MASSACHUSETTS. 


WORCESTER  : 

PRINTED  BY  CHARLES  HAMILTON, 
CENTRAL  EXCHANGE. 

1876. 


DIRECTORS  IN  1876 


THOMAS  L.  NELSON,  - 

PRESIDENT. 


NATHANIEL  PAINE, 

SECRETARY  AND  TREASURER. 


CHARLES  0.  THOMPSON, 
THOMAS  E.  ST.  JOHN, 
JOHN  J.  POWER, 
EDWARD  EARLE, 
EDWARD  H.  HALL, 


CHARLES  H.  MORGAN, 
CHARLES  H.  DOE, 
GEORGE  E.  FRANCIS, 
PETER  C.  BACON, 

J.  EVARTS  GREENE. 


LIBRARIAN, 

SAMUEL  S.  GREEN. 


s.u.s. 

poS-T.V- 


0 


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APPENDIX  NO.  2 

TO  THE 

REPORT  OF  T FI  E LIBRARIAN 

OF  THE 

FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

City  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  U.  S.  A. 


The  following  paper  has  been  written  by  the  Librarian,  in  response  to  a 
vote  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  requesting  him  to  prepare  a brief  account  of 
the  history  and  distinctive  features  of  the  institution  under  our  charge.  It 
has  been  prepared  for  use  at  the  International  Exhibition  to  be  held  in  Phila- 
delphia next  Summer. 


On  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  December,  Anno  Domini,  1859, 
by  a deed  of  gift,  bearing  date  of  that  day,  the  late  John  Green, 
M.  D.,  gave  to  the  City  of  Worcester  a library  of  about  7,000 
volumes  “ in  trust  for  the  free  use  of  the  citizens  and  the  public 
forever,  as  a library  of  consultation  and  reference,  but  to  be  used 
only  in  the  library  building.” 

This  library  had  been  collected  from  time  to  time,  during  a 
long  professional  career,  at  a cost  of  not  less  than  $10,000,  with 
the  purpose  of  sometime  devoting  it  to  public  uses. 

Among  the  terms  and  conditions  of  gift  were  the  following : 

“ First ; The  management  of  the  Library,  the  custody  of  the 
books,  and  the  regulations  under  which  they  may  be  used  shall 
be  vested  in  a board  of  Directors,  who  shall  be  citizens  of  Wor- 
cester, to  be  chosen  by  the  City  Council  in  a convention  of  the 


i 


4 


two  branches  thereof,  two  of  whom  shall,  after  the  first  election, 
be  chosen  annually  and  shall  hold  their  offices  sik  years  each.” 
********** 

“ Third;  The  City  of  Worcester  shall  forever  pay  the  salary 
of  a competent  Librarian,  to  be  chosen  by  the  Directors,  and 
shall  furnish  a suitable  Library  building  for  the  books  to  be  secure 
against  fire,  and  to  be  constructed  with  reference  to  the  future 
increase  of  the  Library,  and  this  building  shall  be  kept  warmed 
and  lighted  at  the  expense  of  the  city  and  shall  be  provided  with 
suitable  accommodations  for  the  convenience  of  those  using  the 
books  and  shall  be  kept  open  at  all  proper  hours,  according  to 
the  regulations  of  the  Directors,  for  the  use  of  the  public. 

Fourth ; No  plan  for  a Library  building  shall  be  adopted 
without  the  concurrence  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 

Fifth ; The  foregoing  provisions  may,  during  my  life,  be 
changed  by  the  joint  action  of  myself  and  the  Directors  in  any 
manner  which  shall  not  impair  the  value  and  public  utility  of  the 
Library,  but  they  shall  not  be  altered  after  my  decease,  nor  shall 
any  books,  once  added  to  the  department  established  by  me,  ever 
be  transferred  to  any  other.” 

At  a special  meeting  of  the  Worcester  Lyceum  and  Library 
Association,  holden  December  16,  1859,  it  was  voted;  that 
whereas  Dr.  John  Green  has  indicated  a desire  to  give  his  library 
to  the  city,  that  the  library  of  the  association  also  be  transferred 
to  the  city,  provided  suitable  appropriations  and  arrangements 
are  made  for  the  reception  of  the  two  libraries. 

The  library  offered  to  the  city*  by  the  Library  Association  con- 
sisted of  abouL4,50()L  volumes.  Dr.  Green  gave  his  books  to  the 
city  to  be  used  as  a reference  library.  The  Library  Association 
contemplated  the  use  of  most  of  those  given  by  it  as  the  nucleus 
of  a circulating  library. 

The  City  Council  passed  an  ordinance,  dated  December  23, 
1859,  of  which  the  following  is  the  first  section  : 

“The  City  of  Worcester  hereby  accept  the  donations  of  Dr. 
John  Green  and  of  the  Worcester  Lyceum  and  Library  Associa- 
tion, and  establish  the  Free  Public  Library  of  the  City  of  Wor- 
cester.” 

The  ordinance,  as  originally  adopted  and  in  its  subsequent  re- 
visions, carries  out,  in  provisions  for  the  whole  institution,  the 


i 


spirit  of  the  conditions  which  Dr.  Green  imposed  in  regard  to 
the  library  given  by  him. 

In  the  First  Annual  Report  of  the  Directors  of  the  Library, 
presented  to  the  City  government  in  January,  1861,  it  is  stated 
that  “the  building  is  now  far  advanced  in  the  stages  of  erec- 
tion.” 

It  will  be  noticed  that,  by  the  terms  in  the  deed  of  Dr.  Green's 
gift,  the  spirit  of  which  was  embodied  in  the  city  ordinance  also, 
the  whole  management  of  the  library  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  a 
board  of  directors,  and  not  interfered  with  by  the  city  govern- 
ment. This  will  be  regarded  as  a wise  provision,  as  the  members 
of  the  board  are  chosen  with  reference  to  their  fitness  for  the 
especial  work  to  be  performed.  Sufficient  supervision  of  the  city 
council  is  implied  in  the  facts  that  it  chooses  the  directors,  and 
that  it  has  wholly  within  its  control  the  regulation  of  the  amount 
of  money  it  will  appropriate  yearly  for  the  use  of  the  library. 

The  conditions  in  the  deed  of  gift  require,  also,  it  will  be  seen, 
the  city  to  put  up  a building  secure  against  fire,  to  keep  the 
rooms  frequented  by  users  comfortable,  and  to  pay  the  salary  oi 
the  librarian  and  other  running  expenses.  In  inducing  the  city 
to  make  heavy  expenditures  in  carrying  out  the  object  he  had  in 
view  in  giving  his  library  to  the  city,  Dr.  Green  greatly  added  to 
the  value  of  his  gift.  He  may  property  be  regarded,  not  only  as 
a public  benefactor,  but  also  what  he  is  called  in  the  fourth  sec- 
tion of  the  original  ordinance,  by  which  he  is  made  an  Honorary 
Life  Director,  as  the  “principal  founder”  of  the  library. 

The  board  of  directors,  as  constituted  by  the  deed  of  gift  and 
the  city  ordinance,  is  a conservative  body.  For  several  years, 
however,  it  has  been  a custom,  or  rule  almost  universally  ob- 
served, that  no  person  shall  be  eligible  to  fill  a vacancy  in  the 
board  of  directors  arising  from  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office. 
The  observance  of  this  rule,  while  aiding  to  secure  a progressive 
administration  of  the  library,  has  also  been  useful  in  widen- 
ing the  interest  of  citizens  in  the  institution,  by  introducing 
into  its  board  of  direction,  representatives  of  various  occupations 
and  tastes  prevailing  in  the  community  for  which  it  was  estab 
lished. 


6 


The  year  1865  is  memorable  in  the  history  of  the  library  for 
the  foundation  of  the  Heading-rooms.  A fund  of  between  $10,- 
000  and  $11,000  was  raised  for  their  endowment  by  subscription 
among  the  citizens  of  Worcester,  chiefly  through  the  exertions  of 
Honorable  George  F.  Hoar,  at  that  time  an  influential  member 
of  the  board  of  directors.  The  money  thus  raised  was  carefully  in- 
vested, and  the  income  of  the  investment  has  since  been  spent  in 
furnishing  the  rooms  with  American  and  foreign  newspapers  and 
periodicals.  This  income,  a few  gifts,  and  $200  taken  from  the  city 
appropriation,  now  enable  us  to  place  in  the  rooms,  current  numbers 
of  189  journals,  magazines  and  reviews.  It  is  proper  to  remark 
here,  considering  the  purpose  for  which  this  paper  is  written,  that 
where  a reading-room  is  joined  to  a library  it  may  be  of  great  bene- 
fit to  it.  Besides  the  more  obvious  advantages  which  accrue  from 
reading-rooms  considered  by  themselves,  it  is  noteworthy,  that  in 
combination  with  libraries,  they  serve,  as  do  well  supplied  circu- 
lating departments,  to  bring  the  institutions  with  which  they  are 
connected  into  contact  with  large  portions  of  the  community  which 
would  not  otherwise  see  that  they  are  getting  benefit  enough 
from  them  to  make  them  willing  to  contribute  liberally  towards 
their  support.  A public  library  is  dependent  upon  popular  favor 
for  its  existence.  It  must  be  so  administered  as  to  secure  this 
favor.  The  expenditure  of  large  sums  of  money,  raised  by  taxa- 
tion, upon  an  educational  institution,  can  only  be  justified  by 
showing  that  it  exerts  a wide  influence.  This  does  not  mean 
that  you  must  lower  the  standard  of  periodicals  and  books 
bought.  Keep  the  standard  high.  Books  and  papers  may  be 
popular  without  being  trashy  or  immoral. 

It  mp.y  be  remarked,  for  encouragement,  that  it  is  compara- 
tively easy  to  raise  money  for  the  establishment  of  a reading- 
room. 

With  the  foundation  of  the  reading-rooms,  the  library  came 
into  its  present  form.  The  Green  or  reference  library,  the  Cir- 
culating library,  and  the  Beading-rooms,  constitute  the  Free 
Public  Library  of  the  City  of  Worcester. 

Hr.  Green  died  in  the  fall  of  1865.  According  to  the  sixth 
annual  report  of  the  directors,  he,  from  time  to  time,  between  the 


7 


date  of  the  deed  of  his  original  gift  and  that  of  his  death,  gave 
to  the  library  4,968  volumes,  in  addition  to  the  7,000  contributed 
at  the  start.  He  also  remembered  the  library  generously  in  his 
will.  The  main  provision  of  this  instrument,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  library,  is  described  concisely  and  clearly  in  the  report  to 
which  reference  has  just  been  made.  This  report  was  written  by 
Honorable  Stephen  Salisbury,  the  much  respected  president  of 
the  board  of  directors  in  the  year  1865.  I make  the  following 
quotation  : 

“The  probate  of  the  last  Will  and  Testament  of  Dr.  Green, 
has  made  known  his  bequest  to  this  City  of  Thirty  thousand 
dollars,  to  be  paid  within  one  year  after  his  decease,  to  the  officer 
of  the  City  authorized  to  receive  it,  and  to  be  held  with  its  future 
accumulations  as  a separate  fund,  designated  in  the  Hooks  of  this 
City  as  the  ‘Green  Library  Fund  ;’  and  the  Testator  states  that  he 
‘aim’s  not  to  gratify  any  personal  feeling  of  his  own,  but  to  set 
apart  and  designate  the  Fund  in  a manner  which  shall  forever 
keep  it  distinct  from  all  others,’  ‘and  which  shall  enable  the  people 
of  Worcester  at  all  times  clearly  to  perceive  its  amount  and  con- 
dition.’ He  requires  that  the  fund  shall  be  kept,  and  that  the  in- 
come shall  be  collected  by  the  authorized  officer  of  the  city ; and 
he  provides  that  the  investment  and  management  of  said  Fund 
shall  be  under  the  direction  of  a Financial  Committee  of  three 
directors  of  this  Library,  annually  to  be  chosen  by  ballot, 
and  that  said  Committee  shall  annually  report  to  the  Board 
of  Directors,  and  their  report  shall  make  a part  of  the  annual  Re- 
port of  this  Board  to  the  City  Council.  It  is  required  that  three- 
fourths  of  the  investments  shall  be  made  in  ‘real  estate  mortgage 
securities,’  and  one-fourth  in  Bank  stock ; and  in  taking  landed 
securities,  it  is  the  ‘desire  and  request’  of  the  Testator,  ‘that  in 
every  instance  first  mortgages  shall  be  taken  for  no  larger  loan 
than  one-third  of  the  value’  of  the  security  ; and  as  to  the  use 
and  expenditure  of  the  income  of  said  fund,  it  is  directed  that 
one-fourth  part  of  said  income  shall  be  added  annually  to  said 
fund,  and  that  the  remaining  three-fourths  of  said  income,  after 
repairing  any  accidental  loss  that  may  happen  to  the  principal, 
shall  be  expended  by  said  Directors  in  the  purchase  of  books,  to 
be  added  to  that  department  of  said  Free  Public  Library  which 
was  instituted  by  the  Testator,  and  in  repairing  and  re-binding  the 
books  of  that  department.  Provided  that  when  the  invested 
fund  shall  reach  the  sum  of  One  Hundred  Thousand  Dollars,  one- 
fourth  part  of  the  income  thereof,  shall  continue  to  be  forever 


8 


annually  added  to  the  principal,  and  three-fourths  of  the  income 
of  $100,000,  after  replacing  any  losses  of  the  principal,  and 
neither  more  nor  less,  shall  be  applied  to  the  increase  and  support 
of  the  Department  of  said  Library  instituted  by  the  Testator  ; and 
the  remaining  part  of  the  income  of  said  fund,  shall  be  applied 
and  expended  by  said  Directors  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  of 
said  Free  Public  Library,  as  well  for  that  part  which  is  kept  for 
circulating  or  lending,  as  for  that  part  which  was  instituted  by 
the  testator.” 

The  principal  of  the  Green  Library  Fund  has  met  with  no  loss. 
It  has  been  increased  by  the  addition  of  a quarter  of  every  year’s 
income.  Five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  and  eighty-five  cents, 
the  proceeds  of  a trust  instituted  by  Dr.  Green  during  his  life, 
has  also  been  added  to  the  fund.  This  now  amounts  to 
thirty-five  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  twenty-four  dollars  and 
twenty-three  cents.  Fifty  shares  of  bank  stock,  now  held 
by  trustees,  will  eventually  come  into  the  possession  of  the  city, 
to  be  applied,  besides  his  other  bequests,  in  accordance  with  the 
testator’s  will,  for  the  benefit  of  the  library. 

Honorable  George  F.  Hoar,  President  of  the  board  of  Direct- 
ors in  1867,  in  writing  the  annual  report  for  that  year,  after 
reciting  provisions  of  Dr.  Green’s  will  in  regard  to  the  library, 
remarks  that,  u Upon  these  provisions  a grave,  and  until  within 
a few  years  what  would  have  been  deemed  a quite  doubtful  ques- 
tion of  law  arose,  growing  out  of  the  policy  of  the  law  which 
prohibits  perpetuities.”  He  then  proceeds,  in  an  able  argument, 
to  quiet  our  fears.  He  speaks  of  the  hesitation  of  the  executors 
of  the  will  of  Dr.  Green  to  pass  over  his  bequest  to  the  city,  and 
narrates  the  action  of  the  city  and  board  of  directors  of  the 
library.  He  compliments  the  family  of  Dr.  Green  for  just  and 
honorable  conduct  in  facilitating  the  carrying  of  his  wishes  into 
effect,  and  states  that  the  Supreme  Judicial  Court,  upon  applica- 
tion, rendered  a judgment  so  far  establishing  the  validity  of 
the  will  as  to  order  the  fund  to  be  paid  over  to  the  city. 
Mr.  Hoar  then  cites  two  recent  decisions  of  the  Supreme 
Judicial  Court  of  Massachusetts,  and  after  a discussion  of  the 
points  at  issue,  announces  his  belief  “ that  the  city  may  right- 
fully and  lawfully  obey  the  direction  of  the  will  until  a fund  is 


9 


accumulated,  ample  enough  to  defray  all  the  expenses  of  the 
library,  and  so  fulfil  the  beneficent  purpose  of  the  donor.” 
It  is  well  understood  that  when  Mr.  Hoar  speaks  of  an  ample 
provision  for  a library  like  ours,  he  does  not  mean  a paltry  few 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  but  a much  larger  sum.  It  is  worthy 
of  remark,  before  leaving  the  consideration  of  Dr.  Green’s  will, 
that  he  is  careful  to  reiterate  in  it  the  terms  and  conditions 
contained  in  the  original  deed  of  his  gift  to  the  city,  executed 
in  1859. 

Here,  then,  we  have  in  the  city  of  Worcester  a reference 
library,  founded  and  endowed  by  Dr.  Green.  It  is  important  to 
inquire  whether  the  citizens  of  Worcester  use  the  library  which  has 
been  provided  for  them.  Reports  of  the  directors  show  that  it  was 
but  little  used  for  several  years.  They  express  regret  that  this  was 
so,  and  it  appears  from  their  fifth  annual  report  that  the  establish- 
ment of  the  reading-room  resulted  from  a movement  to  increase 
the  usefulness  of  the  Green  Library.  It  was  thought  that  a reading- 
room  would  add  to  and  bring  out  its  value.  Many  of  the  news- 
papers and  periodicals  taken  are  bound,  and  the  volumes  placed  on 
the  shelves  of  the  reference  library.  They  thus  add  to  its  value. 
Readers  of  magazines  and  papers  have  curiosity  awakened  which 
they  seek  to  satisfy  by  the  use.  of  atlases,  encyclopaedias  and  other 
works  of  reference.  A taste  for  reading  and  the  habit  of  reading 
are  promoted  by  a reading-room.  A desire  to  study  often 
follows.  A reading-room,  in  this  way,  brings  out  the  value  of  a 
reference  library.  At  the  start,  the  Green  Library  reading-room 
was  not  properly  heated.  This  defect  was  remedied  by  the  intro- 
duction of  a steam  heating  apparatus.  The  building  is  now  kept 
well  warmed. 

A step  in  the  right  direction  was  made  by  the  directors  in  pro- 
curing a large  collection  of  the  best  dictionaries,  encyclopaedias,  Ac. 
It  was  impossible  for  them  to  do  all  that  they  wished,  for  they 
could  not  get  money  enough  in  the  earlier  days  of  the  library,  to 
enable  them  to  carry  out  their  plans.  They  did  what  they  could 
with  the  means  at  their  disposal.  Still,  the  reference  library  was 
not  much  used.  About  five  years  ago  there  came  a sudden 
growth  in  its  use.  This  use  has  increased  rapidly  every  succeeding 


10 


year.  It  is  now  very  large.  How  has  this  increase  been  effected? 
It  has  been  brought  about  by  the  use  of  very  simple  means.  It 
was  thought  that  the  reason  why  people  did  not  use  the  library 
was  that  they  needed  assistance  in  using  it.  A new  librarian  was 
appointed,  and  he  was  allowed  to  render  such  aid  as  was  desired 
by  frequenters  of  the  library.  Then,  all  persons  in  the  city  who 
had  questions  to  ask  to  which  they  might  hope  to  find  answers  in 
books  were  cordially  invited  to  come  to  the  library  and  propound 
them.  It  was  made  a rule  that  every  body  should  be  received 
with  courtesy  and  made  to  feel  that  he  is  an  owner  of  the  library, 
and  that  its  officers  are  bound  to  give  a reasonable  amount  of  time 
to  finding  answers  to  his  questions.  The  youngest  school  children, 
the  humblest  citizens,  were  to  be  received  cordially,  and  an  im- 
partial courtesy  extended  to  all.  The  plan  has  worked  admirably. 
It  has  been  a cardinal  principle  with  us  that  the  officers  should  mani- 
fest a persistent  determination  not  to  allow  an  inquirer  to  leave  the 
building  without  getting,  if  a possible  thing  to  find  it,  an  answer 
to  his  question.  When  books  needed  in  answering  questions  are 
not  found  in  the  library,  efforts  are  at  once  made  to  buy  them. 
If  they  are  expensive  and  their  purchase  cannot  be  afforded, 
pains  are  taken  to  find  out  whether  they  do  not  belong  to  some 
other  library  or  to  some  individual  accessible  to  the  questioner. 
Time  is  spent  in  doing  such  work  as  this ; the  time,  too,  of 
persons  whose  service  is  somewhat  costly.  But  this  time  is  well 
spent.  The  personal  relations  of  an  accomplished  librarian  with 
users  of  a library  are  productive  of  great  advantage.  Few  users 
of  a reference  library  know  what  books  to  go  to  to  get  answers 
to  questions  which  they  have  to  ask.  Many  need  help  in  finding 
out  and  stating  the  exact  question  which  they  wish  to  have 
answered.  The  librarian  steps  forward  and  helps  them  to  give  a 
definite  shape  to  their  inquiries,  and  then  refers  them  to  some 
master  of  the  subject  to  which  their  inquiries  relate,  lie  gives 
them  the  best  books,  and  keeps  them  from  the  productions  of 
dabblers  in  knowledge. 

When  the  reading-room  of  the  reference  library  is  not  filled 
with  persons  who  resort  to  it  for  instruction,  as  will  often  happen 
certain  hours  in  the  day,  the  entertainment  is  sometimes  offered 


11 


to  such  as  desire  it  in  the  form  of  stories  and  bound  volumes  of 
illustrated  papers.  That  our  efforts  to  build  up  a large  use  of  the 
reference  department  have  been  successful  is  evidenced  by  the 
statistics  given  in  the  report.  From  this,  it  appears  that  7,321, 
12,408,  15,672,  20,550,  and  22,833  persons,  respectively,  have  had 
books  given  them  during  the  last  five  years,  or  have  helped  them- 
selves to  books  to  be  used  in  answering  their  inquiries,  or  to  give 
them  enjoyment.  A very  large  proportion  of  these  recipients  of 
information  and  enjoyment  have  received  answers  to  serious  inqui- 
ries. While,  too,  we  are  careful  to  supply  the  wants  of  humble 
inquirers,  we  are  equally  solicitous  not  to  neglect  the  demands  of 
more  advanced  students.  While  a half  hour  is  readily  spent  in 
finding  out  for  a curious  boy  how  dates  can  be  plucked  from  the 
top  of  the  tall  palm  tree,  whatever  time  is  needed  is  cheerfully 
given  to  the  scholar  whose  questions  require  reference  to  Philo- 
sophical Transactions  or  a Greek  Anthology,  or  to  the  public 
instructor  in  preparation  for  a lecture  or  review  article.  A refer- 
ence library  that  is  not  used  becomes  very  unpopular.  Where 
such  a library  is  so  administered  that  a large  constituency 
gets  advantage  from  it  all  will  recognize  it  as  a public  benefit,  and 
citizens  unskilled  in  the  niceties  of  scholarship  will,  in  considera- 
tion of  the  benefit  they  themselves  derive  from  the  institution,  be 
willing  that  money  should  be  spent  in  supplying  the  wants  of 
scholars. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  among  the  “ terms  and  conditions  ” 
imposed  by  Dr.  Green  in  the  deed  by  which  he  transferred  his 
library  to  the  city,  is  one  which  provides  that  the  books  shall  “ be 
used  only  in  the  library  building.”  This  provision  was  extended 
in  his  will  to  the  use  of  all  books  bought  with  money  left  by 
him  and  placed  in  the  department  which  bears  his  name. 
It  has  sometimes  been  thought  that  the  reference  library  would 
be  more  useful  if  the  books  in  it  could  be  taken  to  the  homes  of 
users.  Now,  however,  the  restrictive  provision  is,  I think,  gen- 
erally believed  to  be  a wise  one  by  persons  who  have  thought 
much  about  the  matter.  There  was  more  reason  formerly  than 
exists  now  for  anxiety  on  the  part  of  citizens  to  have  the  books 
put  in  circulation.  In  the  earlier  days  of  the  library  the  additions 


12 


of  books  made  to  the  circulating  department  were  wholly  in- 
adequate to  supply  reasonable  demands  of  users.  The  directors 
knew  that  this  was  so,  and  bought  as  many  books  as  they  could 
with  the  money  at  their  command.  Now  the  circulating  depart- 
ment is  generously  cared  for,  and  it  is  very  seldom  that  a citizen 
feels  it  a hardship  not  to  be  able  to  take  home  books  belonging 
to  the  Green  Library.  There  are  two  weighty  reasons  why  these 
books  should  not  be  taken  away  from  the  library  building. 
First,  it  is  desirable  that  investigators  should  always  lind  them 
at  hand  for  consultation.  Second,  books  which  we  put  in  cir- 
culation become  dirty  and  mutilated.  Mr.  Salisbury  speaks 
forcibly  on  this  head  in  the  fifth  annual  report  of  the  Directors. 
He  says  of  the  measure  of  allowing  books  in  the  Green  Library 
to  be  taken  to  the  homes  of  users,  that  it  “ would  be  like 
killing  the  goose  that  laid  the  golden  egg.  For  a time  the  use 
of  the  books  would  be  stimulated  and  increased,  but  when 
they  should  become  defaced  and  worn  out  by  use,  it  would 
require  to  keep  the  library  interesting  and  attractive,  a larger 
expenditure  than  the  majority  of  citizens  would  approve  and 
the  most  liberal  givers  might  hesitate  to  place  valuable  books  in  a 
heap  of  rubbish.” 

The  Free  Public  Library  is  mainly  dependent  for  its  support 
upon  an  annual  appropriation  made  by  the  City  Council  from 
money  raised  by  taxation.  This  appropriation  was  very  small  at  first. 
It  continued  small  for  several  years.  The  directors  saw  that  it 
was  very  important  that  more  money  should  be  placed  at  their 
disposal,  and  persistently  urged  the  claims  of  the  library  for 
liberal  support.  Their  efforts  gradually  bore  fruit.  The  city 
began  to  grow  also,  and  a greater  readiness  to  spend  money  on 
improvements  to  manifest  itself.  With  increased  expenditures  in 
other  departments  of  the  government,  the  annual  appropriation  of 
the  library  began  to  grow.  For  the  few  past  years,  a generous 
sum  of  money  has  been  put  into  the  hands  of  the  directors.  In 
no  one  of  the  last  three  years  has  the  appropriation  been  less 
than  $11,000  and  the  Dog  fund.  This  fund  amounted  last  year 
to  $3,019.53. 

It  will  interest  some  persons  to  know  that  the  dog  law  may  be 
found  in  the  volumes  which  contain  the  u Acts  and  Resolves 


13 


passed  by  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  ” in  the  years 
1867  and  1869.  The  volume  for  the  former  year  gives,  in  chapter 
130,  “An  Act  concerning  -Dogs,  &c.,”  and  the  one  of  1869  con- 
tains, in  chapter  250,  “ An  Act  in  addition  to  an  Act  concerning 
Dogs.”  Under  the  provisions  of  this  law,  in  all  the  counties  of 
the  state  except  Suffolk  county,  the  money  raised  in  towns  by 
payments  for  licenses  issued  to  owners  of  dogs,  after  certain 
deductions  have  been  made  to  cover  the  depredations  of  dogs 
among  sheep  and  other  domestic  animals,  must  be  appropriated 
by  the  towns  to  the  support  either  of  the  common  schools  or  of 
public  libraries.  With  such  appropriations  $4,000  a year  can  be 
spent  for  books.  For  the  purchase  of  books  we  have  also  avail- 
able, it  will  be  remembered,  the  income  of  the  Green  Library 
Fund.  The  income  of  the  Reading-room  Fund,  likewise,  swells 
our  resources  and  gives  us  the  means  of  buying  periodicals  and 
papers. 

Worcester  has  a population  of  about  50,000.  The  statement 
just  made  shows  that  it  furnishes  a good  example  to  hold  up 
to  other  communities  ot  the  same  size  with  itself,  for  emulation 
in  the  support  of  a public  library.  These  expenditures  have 
proved  very  beneficial  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  city.  The 
number  of  volumes  taken -out  from  the  circulating  library  has 
increased,  as  stated  in  the  report,  55,604,  in  two  years.  The 
reports  of  the  last  few  years  show  also,  as  has  been  stated  before, 
great  growth  in  the  use  of  the  reference  department.  The 
growth  in  the  use  of  these  two  departments  of  the  library  is  not 
owing  wholly  to  increased  expenditures  upon  it,  but  it  is  largely 
owing  to  this  cause. 

This  library  was  the  first  public  library  in  New  England  to 
open  its  doors  to  visitors  on  Sunday.  It  is  proper,  therefore,  in 
ending  this  paper  to  say  a single  word  in  regard  to  our  ex- 
perience respecting  this  custom.  The  Reading-rooms  of  the 
library  are  open  from  two  to  nine  P.  M.  No  books  are  given 
out  in  the  circulating  department  to  be  taken  home.  The  periodi- 
cals and  papers  can  be  freely  used.  Books  are  procurable  also 
for  use  within  the  building  from  either  department  of  the  library. 
The  experiment  has  now  been  tried  for  three  years.  It  appears 


from  the  early  reports  of  the  librarian,  that  the  number  of  per- 
sons who  used  the  reading-rooms  Sundays,  in  the  year  1872-3, — 
for  one  Sunday  less  than  the  whole  year,  and  yet  for  fifty-two 
Sundays,  — is  5706,  for  1873-4,7179,  and -for  1874-5,  10,142. 
The  librarian  is  present  for  two  hours  in  the  afternoon  to  ren- 
der assistance  to  inquirers  seeking  information  from  books.  One 
attendant  in  summer,  and  two  attendants  in  winter,  remain  in  the 
rooms  during  the  hours  they  are  open,  to  see  that  they  are  kept 
comfortable,  to  preserve  quiet,  and  to  aid  readers.  These  attend- 
ants are  persons  who  do  not  serve  the  library  on  secular  days, 
but  who  come  to  us  only  on  Sunday.  In  regard  to  the  character 
of  the  reading  done  on  Sundays,  it  may  be  stated  that  it  is  gen- 
erally of  the  lighter  kinds.  Some  persons,  however,  engage  in 
study  every  Sunday. 

I have  now  stated  briefly  what  I regard  the  distinctive  features 
of  this  library,  and  have  mentioned  such  facts  in  its  history  as 
seem  to  be  of  general  interest.  Having,  therefore,  performed 
the  duty  set  me  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  I now  close  this 
paper. 

SAMUEL  S.  GREEN, 

Librarian. 


January  18,  1876. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOI9-URBANA 


3 0112  0483058G 


